Machine for making dry-cell elements



April 17,1928. 1,666,067

R. BAILLIE ET AL MACHINE FOR MAKING DRY CELL ELEMENTS Filed Feb, 26, 1.925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 17, 1928. I 1,666,067

. R. BAILLIE ET AL MACHINE F013 MAKING DRY CELL ELEMENTS 5, employment of a mouldwhich is more or:

: scram iB AILLIE 'ANnMA T'rnEwIATKInsoNnnA or LONDYQINI, ENGLAND; snij' fl v BAILLIEVA'SSIG'NOB TOYSAIDADAM. I .7

MACHINE-iron MAKING DRY-CELL nnnivrnnrs.

A lication filed February 26, 1925, Serial No. 11,848,ai1dm Gr m p m 9 4' :7

This invention relates to the manufacture of Leclanch and the like electric cells of the so-called dry type, in which a depolarizer mass rendered solid by pressure is employed) Cells of thistype are usually made by the less filled with the depolarizer mixture'and moulding pressure is applied to this mixture by one or more plungers or rams. :The desirable depolarlzer mixtures are not-fluid and donot'transmitpressure as a ifiuld,

hence the pressuredistribution axially is not; uniform in practice. 1 For this reason 'andto minimize the pressure variation, it

.lfi'is customaryiirthe best practice to apply the pressure by rams from both ends of the mould or to employ several strokes of each ram with intermediate filling with further mixture. Also the reciprocating motionof ramslimposes intermittentfeed of themixture and this with the fact that the pressure must not vbe applied too rapidly involves rather slow workingso that production can only-be increased by employing multiple rams"workingto'compress into a group of moulds r 1 N owi the'present invention has forits ob jects to secure a depolarizer massof any de-- sired uniform density and to facilitate and Hcheapen' theproductionof suchcells.

"It has been found by-ex'periment that the,

i semi-solid depolarizer mixtures used for such Frotating screw feeding device receiving a cells are susceptible of packingv to any desired density by the aid ofafeed screw delivering into amould chamber and'that a uniform density can thus be obtained in the solid mass; Y I

The invention consists in the method and means for rapidly producingelectric cells having a depolarizer mass comprising a semi-solid depolarizeiflmixture, and delivering same into a mould chamber under pressure preferably upon a suitable carbon stem 7 5 or likeelectrode, I c The invention also consists in the method I and means for producing electric cells as above described comprising also a movable I mould block witha plurality of mould chambers intermittently brought into register [with thedelivery end of the feeding device.

The invention'also consists in theabove described method and means for producing electric cells comprising also anelectrode feeding-in device for carbon stems prefercontainer. with r depolarizer ably, with removable distance pieces or rings adapted to protect the terminals'already ap' phedto the electrodes, and means forfeed- 'ingout the completed dolly as the moulded depolarizer is usually called.

The invention also consists in; the m'a-' chines and devices hereinafter described. r p lhe accompany ng drawings lllustrate one way of carrying the invention into effect by way of example, as applied to the manufacture of dry cellsof the: type 'h aving a zinc Figurefll showsa frontviewpartly 5. 7.

tioned' of a machine for forming the 'dol hes; a F1gures2 and 3are from opposite-ends; H

Figure 4 1s aplan view of Figure :1;

mixture 1 of end views of Figure If; i

' Referring to the drawings, a'machine isshown furnished with'a= suitable horizontal rotating screw l, preferably-regulated end on wlth spiral-sprmg. release attachment, 7

not shown, and ,a casing- 2.for receiving the depolarizer mixture andc'compre ssi-ng the same at a predetermined pressure into hori;

zontal mould ,recesses 3 contained within an adjacent "circular mould block 4' rotating;

intermittently on a horizontal axis and? brought into register with thedelivery end of the horizontal screw feeder 1, the drivin shaft 5 of which is. at the opposite end. an 5 driven with a circular mot-ion by a main horizontal shaft 6 supported"wi thin' the main machine framing 30' with: suitablebearings and mechanically driven by the pulley 7; l I v A vertical feed screw inechanism consisting of a case 47 and a screw 48 driven by a suitable gear from a pinion 49 on the'shaft: 5 may be used to supply the horizontalfeed: screw 1. V I

An intermittent feed is secured by means of the crank pin 8, link9, rocking lever 10,

ratchet -11, ratchet wheel 12011 shaft Band 4 a pair of gear wheels 14 and 15, of which 14 is connected wheel 12.

. This main horizontal shaft 6 also simulv taneously at its opposite end drives a crank pin 16, slotted lever 17 pawland ratchet i rigidly .to the ratchet p Wheel gear 18,011 the suitably supported ro tary shaft 13, upon which the circularro tary mould block 4 is rigidly mounted.

The lower main driving shaft 6 which, asa bove described, actuates the depolarizer mixture feeder 1 and the rotary cylindrical mould block 4 is also connected by cam 19, rocking lever 20 on shaft- 21 and upright link rod 22. and lever 23 to another upper transverse shaft 24:, by means of which, through leversq25 and links 26, therequired reciprocating movements and actions are givenr-to ,two separate parallel and horizon tal guidedgcircular rams or pushers 27, 28;

,one (27) fOIL -IBCGlVlIIgJQtthe proper time from -the guide runner 44, mounted carbon stem electrodes 29, and placing same endwise into the rotary mould .block 4; the other pusher,v ,(28),at the Sdll'lellllle, in the -Inould,recess two holesjreinoved, If'eeding out;

the rotary block is not in motion, and the rotary, nould block is arranged to 'be still when anrincoming uncovereducarbon stem is enteringjhe same, and the formed dolly is leaving. 7 V

, By ,means otthe intermittently driving slottedlevcr ratchet, gear 17, 18, the circular mouldhlock is also arranged to move quick- 1y into the feeding position, thus giving a longer pause in the blocks movement while theieeding, charging and discharging of the Il1Ql1I1td carhon stems and (lOllleS are taking place v,simultaneously.

The mountingof the carbon stem electrodes 29 for concentrically placing. ,and tempo arily holding the' same inside gthe 4: mould recesses in the rotating mould block e e y p ac ng ,aw od] orcrub er1di n tance piece ring or washer disc 31,32. "of suitable thickness? at each end of the stem, the teri'ninalend ofwh-ich is thus protected and supportedduring the operation by the sc A t e mett me the othenport e disc or washer 32 is acting as zi -centering support to. the plain end voiithe\carbonstem, and is capahleofmoving. towards theyother washer ns the pola-rizerimixture is being fed. into. tl'1e. .1nould.:. The spacei-occupied by; v these, distance piecencarbon stein holders after their removal represents the, requiredc; exposure .or, projection. of the carbon; ste1n-.-,.0u from the terminal end of theformed-dolly;

These. distance pieces or. washers-being; circular, lacilitateninclined planerollingflto amt from the pushers before.enteringandw after leaving the machine and-,dbefore theiri removal after the-tormingcot: the dolly, are; useful as holders when;carryingiout. subse-M quent steps inithe, operation noi dry cell forming. i I

law ing' now .descrihedtour inventioniwhat- .70 We'claimi asnew and desire to; secure. by Let; ters Patent .is

in a machine .tor .itormi-ngaelectric cells I having a depolarizenomasspa mould' meanss for feeding said depolarizer masst-intolisaid.J75 mould, imeans for inserting. a carhonwelecg-w 1 trode in said inouldi ia1'1d ;1neans carried by said electrode for. spacing i said electrode from the Walls of the mould, said spacing means comprising a Washer at eachendof 80 the electrode, one of said, washersbeing slidably mounted {on-the elect-rode. I In testimony-whereof we have signed our names to this specification- ROBERT: BAILLIEJ" MATTHEN'ATKINSUN= ADAM; 

